Epi. 248 – Evaluation of 3-, 6- and 9-Day Post-treatment Intervals following Pradofloxacin for Treatment of Bovine Respiratory Disease in Stocker Cattle

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Lilli Heinen, a 2024 Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate and dual PhD program, currently employed as a senior researcher at Midwest Veterinary Services, Dr. Brian Lubbers, interim department head in clinical sciences at Kansas State University, and Dr. Ron Tessman, a beef technical consultant at Elanco Animal Health. 

This podcast is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health, manufacturers of PradalexTM. The development of Pradalex highlights their commitment to improving animal health outcomes, reducing the risk of resistance and minimizing disruption to animals’ normal health biome. Pradalex’s structural differences result in a dual-targeting effect, yielding up to 3x better in vitro potency compared to similar fluoroquinolone antibiotics approved for the treatment of BRD. Elanco, a global leader in animal health, is committed to supporting the success of the beef industry by providing resources to help manage health, enhance economic performance, and promote operational sustainability. For more information visit Elanco.com or contact your local Elanco representative. 

We begin with an explanation of the mechanism of action of this new antibiotic and the reasons for performing this study. The primary study objective was to evaluate the effect of 3-, 6- and 9-day post-treatment intervals on first treatment success and case fatality in naturally occurring bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in stocker calves. Secondary outcomes included days-to-death (DTD) in the same population. The average overall first treatment success was 61.8% with no statistical differences across the three post-treatment intervals. The average case fatality rate was 12.3% with no statistical differences between the treated groups. The authors note that the population studied was stocker cattle which may have explained the higher numbers compared to feedlot cattle reports. We also discuss the inclusion of DTD in this study and the reasons for this outcome variable. 

Veterinarians can utilize this information to guide treatment protocols when using pradofloxacin. Post-treatment intervals are an important component of antimicrobial stewardship as well as decreasing treatment costs without impacting animal health.

The Bovine Practitioner is the peer reviewed journal of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. It is open access and does not charge authors a publication fee. You can find the journal at this link. 

Evaluation of 3-, 6- and 9-day post-treatment intervals following pradofloxacin for treatment of bovine respiratory disease in stocker cattle. (2025). The Bovine Practitioner, 59(2), 47-52. https://doi.org/10.21423/bpj20259263